Unitized tube end forming machine

ABSTRACT

A MACHINE FOR PERFORMING A WIDE VARIETY OF FORMING OPERATIONS ON THE END OF A METALLIC TUBULAR ARTICLE. THE MACHINE COMPRISES A FRAME FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING VARIOUS UNITIZED ASSEMBLIES WHICH MAY BE ASSEMBLED IN VARIOUS COMBINATIONS IN ORDER TO PERMIT A VARIETY OF END FORMING OPERATIONS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE SAME BASIC MACHINE.

Oct. 5, 1971 F. H. BULTMAN 3,610,016

UNITIZED TUBE ENDS FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1969 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 'III (Il 50 101| Nm 103 l l; 95 i 91 NIUHWHH i a9 i 90 11am ofi/w O O 4f UW! .QZIHWW 105 mill 107 MM2 Hulmza 1mm?.

5 M17 l @mw 0ct. 5, 1971 F. H. BULTMAN 3,610,016

UNITIzED TUBE ENDS EoEMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 196s 6 sheets-sheet s 1 32/ IIHHHHI Oct. 5, 1971 F. H. BULTMAN 3,610,016

UNITIZED TUBE ENDS FORMING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1969 e sheets-sheet 4 Vim 1|) Hlllll' HMH H III Egg. 7 160 156 f6] 162 164 155 f5! 155 105 5mm/4L BALL FORM ExPA/w/NG 'FME/N6 l BUBBL/N f` Filed Aug. l2, 1969 F. H. BULTMAN UNITIZED TUBE ENDS FORMING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent Office Patented Oct. 5, 1971 3 610,016 UNITIZED TUBE END FORMING MACHINE Frederick H. Bultman, Racine, Wis., assgnor to Tenneco Inc., Houston, Tex. Filed Aug. 12, 1969, Ser. No. 849,804 Int. Cl. B21d 39/02 U.S. Cl. 72-317 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for performing a wide variety of forming operations on the end of a metallic tubular article. The machine comprises a frame for receiving and holding various unitized assemblies which may be assembled in various combinations in order to permit a variety of end forming operations to be accomplished by the same basic machine.

BACKGROUND vOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to metal working machinery for forming ends of tubular articles.

There are in existence a wide variety of end forming machines for tubes which are generally specialized for performing individual end forming operations such as swaging, expanding, nibbing, dimpling, flanging and ilaring. These and other operations performed by end operation machines utilize various metal forming tooling devices such as punches, rollers, mandrels, reducing dies and elastomeric expanding tools. Additionally there must be provided means for releasably clamping the tube in the machine.

Commonly, a specialized machine was required for each type of operation or group of similar operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a unitized end operations machine for tubular articles which machine is adaptable to perform a wide variety of end forming operations by providing a variety of interchangeable and removable operation performing sub-assemblies which may be inserted into the machine assembly. The machine may thereby be quickly and easily adapted to perform a variety of operations using a common basic assembly iiicluding a frame and power source.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a unitized hydraulically powered end forming machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the machine shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the machine shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a machine similar to that shown in FIG. 1 together with an auxiliary hydraulic power supply;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 5 with certain upper components removed;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the frame casting of the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 5;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a portion of the clamping subassembly of the machines shown in FIGS. l and 5;

FIG. l0 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top view of a sub-assembly suitable for use in the basic machine as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line FIG. 11; and

FIGS. 13, 14, and 15 are cross formed by the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown hydraulically powered apparatus for forming the end of a pipe or tubular article 2 which might for example be a section of automotive exhaust pipe. The apparatus comprises generally a hydraulically operated end operations machine 3, a stand 4 upon which machine 3 is mounted, and a hydraulic power supply 5. FIG. 5 additionally illustrates a portable device 6 which includes an auxiliary hydraulic power supply 7 and a coolant supply 8.

End operations machine 3 rests upon and is fastened to stand 4 which comprises a framework of angle iron members 9 topped by a heavy steel plate 10. Stand 4 rests at its four corners upon four adjustable legs 14. A coolant return trough 15 is provided beneath plate 10 to return liquid coolant when used to coolant supply 8 as shown in FIG. 5. The coolant flows from end operations machine 3 through apertures (not shown) in plate 10.

. Hydraulic power supply 5 rests upon the floor beneath plate 10 of stand 4 and within the framework of stand 4. Hydraulic power supply 5 comprises an electric motor 1.7, a hydraulic pump 18, and a l'luid reservoir 19. Hydraulic power supply 5 is conventional in its construction and operation.

The auxiliary coolant and hydraulic power supply unit 6 as shown in FIG. 5 comprises the auxiliary power supply 7 and the coolant supply 8. Coolant supply 8 is conventional in its operation and includes an electrically powered coolant pump (not shown). Coolant return trough 15 discharges into the open upper end of coolant supply 8.

The end operations machine 3 itself is an assembly, the basic member of which is a frame 22 which is best illustrated in FIG. 8. Frame 22 is a channel shaped rigid casting having a generally U-shaped cross section. Frame 22 comprises a base portion 23 and sides 24 and 25 which extend upwardly from the lateral edges of base 23. In their construction sides 24 and 25 bear a mirror image relationship to one another.

A pair of longitudinal ways or gibs 27 are provided on the base 23 of frame 22 to provide sliding support for machine elements to be assembled within .frame 22. Simisectional views of tubing `larly, a pair of machined gibs 28 are provided on the inner surface of side 24 and gibs 29 are provided on the inner surface of side 25 to laterally support elements assembled within frame 22. As shown in FIG. 10 a pair of wear strips 30 made out of a good bearing material such as brass are mounted on top of the lower gibs 27.

Four holes 31 are provided through the lower flanged edges 32 of frame 22 through which machine screws 33 pass to threadingly engage tapped holes (not shown) in plate 10 to fasten frame 22 to stand 4.

A similar pair of L shaped brackets 34 are fastened to the sides 24 and 25 of frame 22 adjacent the front end of frame 22 by means of six machine screws 35 which are threaded into tapped holes 36. The inwardly extending shorter lengths 38 are spaced from the front surface 39 of frame 22 to provide vertical slots to accommodate the ends of a retainer plate 40. Retainer plate 40 slides vertically within the slots so formed and when in place rests at its lower edge upon the top sur face of plate 10. A pair of oppositely extending handles 41 project from the top edge of plate 40 to facilitate 3 the lifting of plate 40. Set screws 42 are threaded through the inner ends of legs 38 and may be turned to firmly secure plate 40 in place.

The front edges of sides 24 and 25 of frame 22 are provided with recessess 44.

A vertically operable hydraulic cylinder 45 of conventional construction and operation is mounted on the top of frame 22 adjacent the front end of frame 22. Cylinder 45 is bolted to a top plate 46 which is in turn bolted to the top front edges of sides 24 and 25 by means of machine screws 47 which are threaded into holes 48.

A piston rod 49 extends downwardly from the end of piston 45 and through top plate 46. A pair of similar guide plates 50 are bolted to the lower side of top plate 46.

A clamping module 52 is assembled within frame 22 beneath upper plate 46 and guide plates 50 as best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Clamping module 52 includes supporting means comprising a U shaped weldment 55 having side plates 56 and 57, bottom plates 58, 59, and 60, and vertically aligned guides 61 and 62. Guides 61 and 62 are Welded to the inside faces of side plates 56 and 57. A stationary bottom jaw 64 rests upon bottom plate 59. A vertically moveable top jaw 65 Iis slidingly mounted between guides .61 and 62. Top jaw 65 is fastened to an adaptor block 65 by means of bolts 67. Adaptor block 66 is in turn removeably fastened to the lower end of piston rod 49 by means of a pair of pull pins 69 which pass through adaptor block 66 to engage a circumferential groove 70 formed adjacent the lower end of piston rod `49.

A pair of vertical parallel keys 70 and 71 are slidingly fit into keyways 72 and 73, respectively, which keyways 72 and 73 are formed in the inward facing edges of guides 61 and 62, respectively. Handles 74 and 75 are provided adjacent the upper ends of keys 70 and 71 to facilitate reremoval of keys 70 and 71. When in assembly, keys 70 and 71 slidingly engage aligned grooves on the sides of adaptor block 6.6, upper jaw 65 and bottom jaw 64. Thus key 70 slidingly engages groove 76 in adaptor block 66, groove 77 in upper jaw 65 and groove 78 in lower jaw 64. Similarly, key 71 engages groove 79 in adaptor block 66, groove 80 in jaw 65 and groove 81 in lower jaw 64. Thus it may be seen that the tooling within framework 55 may be removed simply and easily by the lwithdrawal of keys 70 and 71 which permits jaws 64 and 65 and adaptor block 66 to be then withdrawn from the front of framework 55 of clamping module 52. Adaptor block 66 can easily be removed from the lower end of piston rod 49 by the withdrawal of pull pins 69. The outer ends of pull pins V69 are joined together by a pull plate 84 and are furnished with rings 85 to facilitate the removal of pull pins 69.

A pair of oppositely extending locating pins are provided on side plates 56 and 57 to engage the inner end of recesses 44 to prevent the inward movement of clamping module 52.

-It can therefore be seen that the entire clamping module including framework 55, jaws 64 and 65, and adaptor block 66 can quickly be inserted or removed from the front end of frame 22 -when retainer plate 40 is removed and when adaptor block 66 is disconnected from the lower end of piston rod 49 by removing pull pins 69 and retracting piston rod 49 to its upper position.

At the back end of frame 22 there is furnished another hydraulic cylinder for the purpose of horizontally moving operating modules within frame 22. Hydraulic cylinder 87 is fastened to a back plate 88 by means of machine screws 89. Back plate 88 is in turn fastened to the rear edges of sides 24 and 25 of fra-me 22 by means of machine screws 90. As shown in FIG. 6, a piston rod 91 extends from the front end of hydraulic cylinder 87 and through back plate 88. The front end of piston rod 90 is furnished with a T slot 93 to accommodate one end '4 of a roughly dumbbell shaped pull plug 94 which serves to mechanically connect piston rod to operating modules within frame 22. A handle 95 extends upwardly from pull plug 94 to facilitate removal and insertion of pull plug 94.

A control rod 97 is attached to the lower side of piston rod 90 adjacent its front end and extends rearwardly through plate 88. A pair of axially adjustable collars 98 are attached to the rear-wardly extending end of control rod 97 to engage limits which is 99 to thereby limit the extent of the axial movement of piston rod 90.

The variety of operating tooling which might be placed within frame 22 and moved by piston rod 90 is almost limitless. For exemplary purposes, three types of tooling are herein shown and described. Tooling for flaring by spinning is shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. Expanding tooling is shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. Tooling for bubbling is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The tube end forms resulting from expanding, flaring, and bubbling are shown in FIGS. 13, 14, and l5, respectively.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 there is shown tooling for performing an expanding operation on the end of a tube 2 to obtain the tube end form shown in FIG. 13. The bottom jaw 64 and the top jaw `65 have oppositely facing grooved areas 64A and 65A, respectively, for gripping tube 2 when jaws 64 and 65 are pressed together by hydraulic cylinder 45. Lower jaw 64 and upper jaw 65 have oppositely facing enlarged portions 64B and 65B, respectively, to accommodate and form the expanded end portion of tube 2. A partly conical expanding tool 101 is forced into the end of tube 2 when tube 2 is gripped by jaws 64 and 65 to expand tube 2 outwardly into the cavity portions 64B and 65B.

Expander 101 is mounted on the front face of a rectangular spacing weldment 102 which consists of a front plate 103, a rear plate 104, a bottom plate 105 and two side plates 106. Expander tool 101 is mounted in an aperture in the approximate center of front plate 103.

Spacer 102 is reciprocally slidable within frame 22 on gibs 27, 28, and 29. A pull plate is fastened to the rear plate 104 of spacer 102 and a T slot 108 is formed therein to accommodate the other end of pull plug 94. Spacer 102 is thereby mechanically connected to piston rod 90. Actuation of hydraulic cylinder 87 will therefore cause expander tool 101 to be moved into and out of contact with the end of tube 2.

When spacer 102 is in the position shown in :'FIG. 2, spacer 102 and expander 101 may be quickly and easily removed or inserted into the assembly either through the open top of frame 22 or through the front end of frame 22 when clamping assembly 52 is removed. Spacer 102 is disconnected from piston rod 90 simply by pulling on handle 95 to remove pull plug 94.

Apparatus and tooling used to accomplish ball form bubbling to form the shape shown in FIG. 16 is illustrated in lFIGS. 11 and 12. A bottom jaw 109 and a top Jaw are furnished with cavities 109A and 110A, respectively, which form a cylindrical portion fitting closely around a pipe when inserted therein. 'Ihere is also formed therein a spherical cavity comprising upper portion 110B and a lower portion 109B. In other respects lower jaw 109 and upper jaw 110 are similar to the previously described lower jaw I64 and upper jaw 65.

Immediately behind jaws 109 and 110 there is a stop assembly 112 comprising a plate 113, a cylindrical sleeve 114, a bushing 115 and an internal cylindrical bushing 116. The bushing 115 is welded to plate 113. Internal bushing 11'6 is pressed into sleeve 114 and may -be reremoved and replaced with a bushing with a different internal diameter for use with a different size tubing.

Plate 113 is prevented from moving forwardly or rear- 'wardly by keys 118 which engage keyways 119 formed in the lateral edges of plate 113 and the corresponding keyways formed on the inner faces of side plates 61 and 62 of clamping module 52.

A pair of stop blocks extend rearwardly from plate 113 and are removably assembled thereto by the engagement of the T shaped portions 122A of blocks 122 with corresponding T shaped slots 123 formed in plate 113. Slots 123 are open at the top of plate 113. Blocks 122 may therefore be easily inserted or removed by sliding the T shaped portions 122A within slots 123.

The male portion of the bubbling tooling comprises an assembly mounted on the front face of the sliding spacer 102. A base 124 has a rearwardly extending cylindrical portion which fits closely within an aperture centrally located within the front plate 103 of spacer 102. The base124 further comprises a ange 124B lwhieh overlies the front face of plate 123. A plurality of clamps 125 engage the periphery of flange 124B and are fastened to plate 103 to hold base 124 in place.

Extending forwardly from base 124 are an upper plate 127 and a lower plate 128. A plate 129 is welded between the ends of plates 127 and 128. A cylindrical bearing 130 is supported in the center of plate 129. Both upper and lower plates 127 and 128 are slotted to provide for the relative movement therein of a pin 131. Pin 131 is provided with handles 132 to facilitate the removal thereof. The lower portion of pin 131 is flattened slightly on each side and when pin 131 is in assembly a pair of shoulders support pin 131 in the position shown in FIG. 12 by the engagement of shoulders 133 with the upper surface of plate 127.

An elastomeric expanding member 135 of cylindrical form is supported by a pin 136. The elements assembled on pin 136 are assembled in the following order. First a washer 137 is placed over pin 136 and moved along pin 136 until it engages head 140 of pin 136. Next the elastomeric sleeve 135 is placed over pin 136 followed by one or more cylindrical loosely fitting sleeves such as sleeves 141 and 142. A washer 143 is then placed over the end of pin 136. The small end of pin 136 is then inserted through bearing 130 and a cross piece 144 with a central aperture is placed over the end of pin 136 in a position as shown in FIG. l2. Pin 131 is then inserted through the aligned apertures 145 of cross piece 144 and aperture 146 adjacent the end of pin 136.

In operation a tube 2 is inserted into the cavities 109A and 110A from the front of end operations machine 3 until the end of the tube .2 hits the front surface of bushing 116. Hydraulic cylinder 145 is then actuated to bring upper jaw 110 downwardly to grip tube 2. Hydraulic cylinder 87 is then energized to move sliding spacer 102 toward the front of machine 3. When the bubbling tooling shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 reaches the position shown therein and cross piece 144 contacts stop blocks 122, pin 131 holds pin 136 from further movement while plates 1'27 and 128 are pressed further towards the front of machine 3. A force is thereby exerted against washer 143 and through washers 141 and 142 against the back end of velastomeric sleeve 135. Since -washer 137 holds the front end of elastomeric sleeve 135 against further movement, elastomeric sleeve 135 is compressed and expands outwardly to press tube 2 outwardly into the spherical cavities 109B and 110B thereby forming the ball form as shown in FIG. 16. Reversal of the movements of hydraulic cylinders 87 and 45 reverses the above described process to permit the end of tube 2 to be withdrawn from theI machine.

A third exemplary type of tooling which may be used in machine 3 is illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7. The tooling there shown is of the spinning type where four rollers 148 are pressed while turning into the end of tube 2 to form the spherical flare as illustrated in FIG. 14. This apparatus comprises an hydraulic motor 149 with its shaft 150 connected to a shaft 151 by a key 152. A rotating tool holder 152 is fastened to the forward end of shaft 151 by a bolt 153. Shaft 151 is supported by three sets of ball lbearings 154. Each of rollers 148 is supported by ball bearings 155. Ball bearings 154 are supported by an enclosure 156 in which a lubricant may be placed. The forward end of enclosure 156 is closed by a cover plate 157 and a seal 15-8. Hydraulic motor 149 is fastened to the other end of enclosure 156.

Enclosure 156 is supported by a front plate 160 of a sliding support 161. Sliding support 1'61 further comprises side plates 162, a bottom plate 163 and a back plate 164. Pull plate 107 is bolted to the back plate 164. Sliding support 161 slides within frame 22 and is connected to piston rod in the same manner as the sliding spacer 102 previously described. Support 160 together with the toolin'g mounted thereon may also be easily removed through the front or top of frame 22.

The entire apparatus used for the spinning operation is illustrated in FIG. 5. A liquid coolant is delivered to the vicinity of rollers 148 through a tube 166 and a hose 167 from coolant supply 8. Hydraulic cylinder 45 may be operated in either direction by hydraulic pressure delivered by means of hoses 168 and 169 through a hydraulic control 170 from hydraulic power supply 5. Similarly, hydraulic cylinder 87 may be operated in either` direction by hydraulic pressure delivered through hoses 171 and 172 through a hydraulic control 173 from hydraulic power supply 5'. Hydraulic power is supplied to hydraulic motor 149 by means of hoses 176 and 177 through hydraulic control 178 from the auxiliary hydraulic power supply 7. Limit switches 99 are connected to hydraulic control 173 by electrical cables 180.

I claim: 1. A machine for forming ends of tubular articles comprising the combination of:

frame means comprising an open topped channel shaped elongated member having a front end and a back end and having a generally U shaped cross section;

clamping means for gripping a tubular article when the end of said tubular article is inserted in said front end of said frame means, said clamping means comprising jaw means movable to grip said articles and support means for supporting said jaw means, saidjaw means and support means comprising a unitary module removably mounted within said frame adjacent said front end of said frame means;

first operating means for operating said jaw means and being removably assembled to said frame on the top of said frame over said clamping means;

operation performing means for performing a forming operation on said end of said article within said machine comprising tooling means for engaging said end and tool supporting means for supporting said tooling, said tooling means and said tool supporting means comprising a unitary operating module removably assembled within said frame and reciprocally movable therein toward and away from said front end to engage said end of said tube; and

second operating means for reciprocally moving said operation performing means and being mounted on said back end of said frame.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first operating means comprises hydraulic cylinder means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said second operating means comprises hydraulic cylinder means.

4. The invention as defined in claim I1 wherein said operation performing means comprises hydraulicallyv powered spinning means.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 together with an auxiliary hydraulic power source for furnishing power to said spinning means.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 in which said auxiliary hydraulic power source is part of an auxiliary unit which further includes a coolant supply which furnishes liquid coolant to said spinning means.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which said jaw means comprises a plurality of jaw members, at least one of said jaw members being slidable within said UNITED References Cited STATES PATENTS Reynolds 727-316 Gordon 72-322 Crockett 72-316 Hartley et al. 72-316 Franck 72--322 8 g 3,299,691 -.1/1967 Pahl etal. 72-317 3,411,338 11/1968 Carlin 11 72-316 FOREIGN PATENTS 5A, 738,708k 10/ 1955 Great Britain 72-62 ,SjRICHARD I. HERBST, Primary Examiner U.s. C1. X.,R. 

